Ankara Ready to Help Baghdad Eliminate PKK: Turkish Defense Minister
ANKARA (MEMO) – Turkey is ready to provide assistance to clear PKK militants from Iraq’s Sinjar district, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Wednesday, Anadolu reports.
"Turkey always cooperates with Iraq to provide support for eliminating terrorists in Iraq’s Sinjar region if necessary,” Akar said following his official visit to Iraq.
The defense minister also noted that cooperation between Ankara and Baghdad, as well as Ankara and Erbil, will lead to important developments in terms of the fight against terrorism.
Following his official meetings in Baghdad, the defense minister held separate meetings on 19 January with Northern Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government’s (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, former President of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region Masoud Barzani and current President Nechirvan Barzani.
In 2014, the PKK managed to establish a foothold in Sinjar, while Daesh was conducting attacks against the Izadi communities of the region.
More than 40,000 people have died in clashes between the PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU, and Turkey over the past 40 years.
"Turkey always cooperates with Iraq to provide support for eliminating terrorists in Iraq’s Sinjar region if necessary,” Akar said following his official visit to Iraq.
The defense minister also noted that cooperation between Ankara and Baghdad, as well as Ankara and Erbil, will lead to important developments in terms of the fight against terrorism.
Following his official meetings in Baghdad, the defense minister held separate meetings on 19 January with Northern Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government’s (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, former President of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region Masoud Barzani and current President Nechirvan Barzani.
In 2014, the PKK managed to establish a foothold in Sinjar, while Daesh was conducting attacks against the Izadi communities of the region.
More than 40,000 people have died in clashes between the PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU, and Turkey over the past 40 years.